Now Serving…Harvey!

“Quad Oat Latte with Cinnamon?” 

A young female, barista announces. She looks around the crowded coffee shop for anyone to react. Within a minute a middle aged man in a well-tailored suit steps up and grabs the drink. 

“I’m the quad” he says as he takes the drink and in return gives a wink and suggestive grin. 

Not only has he done this before, but this is the start of his routine. He visits this coffee shop in particular not because of the quality espresso drinks but for the young, attractive baristas. His regularity with coffee and unwanted flirtations is well known among the staff.

This man is Harvey. He’s 41. A portfolio manager at a large and successful hedge fund company down in the financial district. He has a very expensive apartment on W90th St and Amsterdam that he shares with his wife Alison and son Adam. 

There are lot of negative words you can use to describe Harvey - cheat, scumbag, loser, creep, addict, narcissist, liar, and so on - but only a handful of positive ones - charming, handsome, successful. 

All in all Harvey is man that looks out only for himself. He will cheat, lie, and steal anything from anyone if it means Harvey gets an advantage in life. 

This man now with coffee in hand makes his way through the crowd of anxious commuters holding it high to prevent a spill, he makes no lasting notice of anyone unless they are under the age of 30. Then they may get the same wink and grin as the barista. But today Harvey couldn’t help but take notice of something else. Not visually but Harvey suffered from that uncomfortable feeling that he was being watched. Not just looking, but watching, eyes following his moves. He casually looks through the shop to either prove or deny this uncomfortable feelings but his lack of awareness causes him to crash into a waiting customer, dumping hot coffee on her head

“What the fuck, you dumb fuck!” Rightfully exclaims a young woman, holding an expensive leather bag, top of line grey suit, and fine silken black hair now covered in four espresso shots, steamed oat milk and dusting of cinnamon powder. 

At that moment everyone was watching Harvey. 

Walking down the street, he makes another scheduled stop at the corner newsstand. Being old enough to remember a time before iPhones, Harvey still prefers his news in print. 

“Hey Ravi what’s the news?” Harvey greets the newsstand attendant with a familiar exchange. 

“Nothing good, maybe try tomorrow”Ravi replies with the enthusiasm of someone who does this everyday. 

Ravi goes about his business as Harvey looks over the papers, skips the Times, Daily News,and the Journal before settling on the Post. The cover emblazoned with a candid photo of onetime prolific filmmaker Armand Bollo with the text “5th girl comes forward in sexual misconduct scandal”. Harvey shakes his head in disgust. As he pays Ravi he says, “Another good guy being cut down by all these woke women. I mean come on I’m sure all these girls were loving it in the moment. I tell you what no woman is going to take Harvard G Haperstein down. I’m keep them happy and quiet.” 

Harvey goes to walk away, Ravi waves a pack of American spirits as if to say, you forget something? 

Harvey shakes his head “ Nah, my wife is all up my ass to quit.” 

Ravi puts the pack down and reveals a single cigarette, all too tempting for Harvey. 

“Well you know the best marriages are built on secrets.” Harvey says as he smiles and takes the single cigarette. 

Ravi goes to light it for him, and Harvey asks him if sees two guys over there on the corner, they appear to be looking at him, but he can’t get a good look. Ravi leans out to take a peak and comes back saying he sees no one particular. Harvey goes to look and sure enough they’re gone. Maybe he’s just paranoid.

Metrocard. Turnstile. Churros. He steps onto the Downtown Express A train platform, seconds before the train enters the station. The gush of wind out of the tunnel throws long hair and loose clothing up into the air above the mass of people. Harvey joins the back of the crowd as they push forward. His feet shuffling ever closer to the packed train car, Harvey again burns with the feeling of eyes peering into the back of his head. He nervously looks around and sees nothing but sluggish faces trudging onto the train.

“Now arriving 14th St Union Square”

Four stops along the express and Harvey can’t shake the feeling. The train empties out most by Union Square. Anyone left is either an NYU student or going to Wall Street. Harvey looks around at the remaining passengers. 13 people remain with him, 1 is a vagrant and has been on since the beginning, 6 are students and 4 are continuing downtown. That just leaves 2 unidentified passenger at the far end of the car, whose brand of sleeve does not smell like Wall Street.

Logan is tall, reaching 6’8, athletic, mid twenties. He has the face of a young shark ready to strike at the first smell of blood, lean with defined outlines. His blond hair is sculpted into his head. He is dressed in an above average priced suit and black overcoat. Logan’s eyes are on Harvey every other second, then down at his companion. His surveillance skills expose his lack of experience.

Luther is shorter, wider and balding. He has a weathered worn in face that says, “I’ve seen it all”. He too is wearing an above average suit with black overcoat, only his has seen more playing time than Logan’s. He hasn’t stopped talking since Harvey noticed him. He’s looking at up Logan , around the train, on Harvey and then back around again. 

It may just be Harvey’s imagination. Could his mind be convincing him they’re looking because he wants to find someone watching him. Or could his staring at these two cause them to stare back in their own confusion. Either way the tension is getting to Harvey. 

“This stop is W4th St.”

Harvey seizing the opportunity makes a motion cutting in front of a couple of students heading to the door. He steps off and makes his toward the stairs. 

He steps onto sidewalk and makes haste down 6th Ave. Even for New Yorkers at rush hour he was moving quickly with purpose. Unlike most New Yorkers, every few steps he looks over his shoulder first left, then right. He makes it a block and is stopped at the corner. His anxiety rises as the cross town traffic bleeds through the light. Looking back again, he now sees in the distance a tall blonde head bobbing its way through the rush of the crowded street. Harvey steps off the curb into a barrage of honking horns and stumbles across angry traffic. He reaches the other corner and wastes no time in running. 

Paranoia has put him in flight mode and he’s not waiting around to find out if his pursuers are real. Another block comes to an end and a yellow cab pulls up to the corner to let out a fare. Harvey’s momentum slam him into the front quarter panel of the cab and onto the hood. Harvey is back in reality and spies the two approaching. He yells to the driver to stay in the car, gets in the back, and slams the door. 

“ Broadway and Fulton…GO!” The cabbie peels out, heading west toward the highway. 

Harvey sighs in relief, thinking he picked the wrong day to quit smoking.

What is going on? The thought racing through his head. Who could be after him? He is no longer believing it’s a delusion but he is being chased. He takes out a phone, scrolls through numbers and goes to make a call. Immediately he’s hit by a pre-recorded message saying T-mobile is very sorry but this line has been disconnected. Harvey hangs up and stubbornly makes another attempt. Again he’s met with the same message. What the fuck?!?

The cab pulls up downtown in front of building. Harvey goes to pay with his Apple Pay, nothing. Forgetting his phone is cut off, he tries his bank card, declined. Amex? Same thing. He takes out cash to pay the cabbie, pauses a second before leaving and looks around, no one. Harvey darts toward big glass toward leading to the lobby, and enters.

The elevator opens on the 23 floor, Harvey steps off. The receptionist greets him as he enters. His panic prevents him from acknowledging and he quickly heads toward his office. He steps inside, shuts the door, and goes to his desk phone. He dials a number and the call goes to voicemail, a female voice comes on “Hi you’ve reached Alison Haperstein please leave a message or just send a text.” Harvey slams the phone down. He puts his face in his hands for a moment, then pushes his hands through his hair. He takes deep breath. Before he has a moment to think of his next move, Cecilia Flores walks in.

“You look like shit Harv…Listen pull yourself together we have to close this Markinson deal TODAY and I can’t have you hungover or whatever it is you’re dealing with, so are you good?”

Harvey half in this conversation, half in his head answers unconvincingly “…yes, no, I mean yes, yes I’m good.” 

“Ok because you don’t seem like it. But listen you kick ass today…I’ll totally make it worth your while!” She says with a wink and a lick of her lips.

Harvey nods. 

Cecilia is laterally at the same pay scale level as Harvey however she reports to higher, higher ups than Harvey so in many ways she is his supervisor. They have also been carrying on an affair for the last 8 months. 

Harvey continues about his day. By lunch he has forgotten all about the morning or at the very least convinced himself that it was actually nothing. 

The day is ending and Harvey exits the elevator into the lobby. The lobby is busy with people leaving. Harvey scans his keycard, the plastic barriers at the security gate slide open, and he walks through toward the glass doors of the exit. As he is walking he looks over at the security desk and he sees Luther and Logan speaking with the security guard. The security guard, looks over at Harvey and points him out to these two menacing individuals. 

Without any hesitation, Harvey takes off, the two follow chase. Harvey pushes through people as he makes his way to exit. Through the door, he knocks over a couple, but recovers quickly and moves south down Broadway. He doesn’t have time to look back before the two assailants exit out the same door, they see him heading south and they the follow. 

Harvey makes a turn into a nearby park. He looks back while making the turn and slams into someone, they both go down. He looks over to discover it’s Cecilia.

A quick second of comfort and he’s back to reality. He grabs her arm and drags her over a bench onto the lawn. From there he crawls behind a bush with her in tow. He lays flat on his chest pushing her down as well. He covers her mouth. Through the branches he sees Logan make the turn into the park, pauses slightly and continues moving at a steady quick pace. A few seconds later Luther follows only slower and more winded.

Harvey takes his hand away from Cecilia’s mouth, they were both watching Logan and Luther. She’s about to burst when she catches her self and blows up as quietly as possible. 

“Who the fuck were those guys? What are you involved in? Who do you owe? Gambling? Drugs? Hookers?”

“No, Georgie’s paid up.” Harvey answers truthfully to an otherwise absurd question.

Cecilia continues “Well then what’s going on?

“Honestly I don’t know… these guys have been following all day.”

Stunned briefly by the situation Harvey has dragged her into, Cecilia comes to a startling revelation.

“ …oh my god it’s your wife?! Yes, they must be PIs or something. I can’t be seen with you…”

Cecilia’s reality comes crashing down as she weighs the seriousness of her situation. Her flirty, sexualized demeanor gives way to her cut-throat business side.

“Ok first of all this, us, is no more. It never happened. Wipe all memory of it, of me. Speaking of which wipe everything, phones, iPads. Laptops. Stephen cannot find out about this. I will lose everything. And that’s not going to happen, I will not go down on account of you. Figure out your own shit. If this comes back on me, I will end you, you understand”

She gives a quick check for bad guys and crawls out. Just before she runs off, she looks back and offers Harvey a good luck. 

And with that, he was alone again hiding in the bushes. 

The sun drops fast and the lights come on. The crash of adrenaline causes Harvey to pass out. 

He wakes up hours later. This time of night, the Financial District is a ghost town. Harvey pokes his heads up, and looks around and nothing. He leaves his bush and exits the park. 

Lost. Dejected. Alone. How could his life gotten to this point. What has he done to deserve this? Who has he wronged so bad as to want to terrorize him? All he knows is those guys are still out there and he’s got to keep moving. He must get home. He begins jogging down broadway towards a subway station. Before long he hears a voice from behind.

“Haperstein!”Luther hollers “we just want to talk!”

Harvey is not falling for that and the chase starts again. He continues his way south. Luther takes off as well, Logan passes him quickly from behind. He’s gaining on Harvey as he heads into Battery Park. He tries to lose him again but Logan is too close. 

He heads toward Castle Clinton at the end of the island. It’s closed for the night but Harvey without thinking, scales the fence and runs through the gates into the courtyard of the structure. He locates a modern door and runs inside, shutting the door behind him. It’s an office. He looks around the room for anything that may help. He sees a landline, grabs it and hides under the desk. The emotions of the day have pushed Harvey to his breaking point. His panic is melting him down. Tears of fear stream down his face. He picks up the receiver and dials a number. 

The call connects and goes to voicemail. A female voice comes on “ Hi It’s Alison Haperstein leave me message or send me a text.” 

BEEP

“Hi, honey, uh Alison… it’s me… it’s Harvey, your husband. Sorry the phone number must look strange my phone is not working or off or something” He struggles with how to continue. 

“It’s been a weird day, a terrifying day… I don’t even know where to start…” up to this point, Harvey was unsure how or what he was going to say. He’s been speaking in whatever version of his “ normal husband voice” is available to him under the circumstances. But that runs out. 

Laughing. Crying. He switches to the only mode left, hysteria. Honest hysteria.

“Hey do you remember Crystal, Adam’s babysitter when he was a toddler, I would fuck her as Adam napped…and also Janice my stylist, a few times… When I say I’m working late, I’m actually getting blowjobs from strippers…I gamble a lot…that $1000, each week I say is going to Adam’s savings…I take it to a poker room on 72nd…oh and Georgie’s not a courier from the office, he’s my coke dealer…he also gets me hookers, young ones…CECILIA! CECILIA FLORES we work together, you’ve met her at several things…we’ve been having an affair for almost a year…and instead of going to Adam’s Soccer tournament over Columbus Day weekend, Cecilia and I fucked her secretary…So there you go!….If you’re satisfied with your message, press 1.” 

He slams down the phone. He’s crying. He’s laughing. He’s crying. 

He hears the office door open. Tries to keep still as footsteps enter the room. A small shift in weight shakes the desk which gives him away. Logan yells for Luther, he’s found him. 

Luther, once more out of breath, stumbles in through the door. He takes a moment to compose himself, then says “It’s over Harvey come on out.”

Harvey gets to his feet, and for the first time, he looks into the faces of his assailants. He goes to speak but Luther cuts him off. 

“Are you Harvard Gerald Haperstein?

Harvey nods yes.

“ I need you to actually say it.”

“Yes, I am”

Luther lets out a sigh of relief and reaches into his inside jacket pocket. The anticipation of his murder drops Harvey to his knees. He thought he could hold it together but he’s pleading, weeping, hands locked in prayer. Luther ignores all this, and finishes his job.

His hand emerges but instead of a cold metallic instrument of death, it is a yellow envelope. 

“You’ve been served.” Luther says handing Harvey the envelope.

“Witnessed.” Logan says, finishing his job. 

Harvey can’t move, he’s frozen in time. He should be dead. Is he dead? Yes he’s dead. No, he’s not he’s holding an envelope inside of which are divorce papers from his wife. Should he be relieved or devastated, he can’t decide.

Luther blots the sweat off his face and neck with a handkerchief. He looks down at Harvey before walking out and says.

“You know, everyone always tries, but no one can out run the truth.”